Thursday, April 26, 2018

The 63rd Annual Drama Desk Nominees Are.....


Titus Burguss and Jane Krakowski announcing the 63rd Annual Drama Desk Award Nominees at Feinstein's 54 Below


The 2018 Drama Desk Award Nominations were announced this morning at Feinstein's 54 Below with the help of Tony/Olivier Award Winning and Emmy Nominated actress, Jane Krakowski, and  3x Emmy Award Nominee, Titus Burguss.   The pair had fun mangling a few of the names, and at the same time brought joy and excitement to a definite handful of creatively fabulous people.  The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York City theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway compete against each other in the same category.  Catch the 63rd Annual Drama Desk Awards at 8:00pm on June 3, 2018 at New York’s Town Hall, where Michael Urie returns as host.

And the NOMINEES are...... 



2018 Drama Desk Award Nominations
Outstanding Play
Admissions, by Joshua Harmon, Lincoln Center Theater
Mary Jane, by Amy Herzog, New York Theatre Workshop
Miles for Mary, by The Mad Ones, Playwrights Horizons
People, Places & Things, by Duncan Macmillan, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, by Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Theater
Outstanding Musical
Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theatre Company/Woodshed Collective
Mean Girls
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
SpongeBob SquarePants
Outstanding Revival of a Play
Angels in America
Hindle Wakes, Mint Theater Company
In the Blood, Signature Theatre Company
Three Tall Women
Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company
Outstanding Revival of a Musical
Amerike-The Golden Land, National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
Carousel
My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Once on This Island
Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company
Outstanding Actor in a Play
Johnny Flynn, Hangmen, Royal Court Theatre/Atlantic Theater Company
Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Tom Hollander, Travesties, Menier Chocolate Factory/Roundabout Theatre Company
James McArdle, Angels in America
Paul Sparks, At Home at the Zoo, Signature Theatre Company
Outstanding Actress in a Play
Carrie Coon, Mary Jane, New York Theatre Workshop
Denise Gough, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Glenda Jackson, Three Tall Women
Laurie Metcalf, Three Tall Women
Billie Piper, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Jelani Alladin, Frozen
Harry Hadden-Paton, My Fair Lady
Joshua Henry, Carousel
Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones, the cell
Ethan Slater, SpongeBob SquarePants
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Gizel Jiménez, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater
LaChanze, Summer
Jessie Mueller, Carousel
Ashley Park, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Anthony Boyle, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ben Edelman, Admissions, Lincoln Center Theater
Brian Tyree Henry, Lobby Hero, Second Stage
Nathan Lane, Angels in America
David Morse, The Iceman Cometh
Gregg Mozgala, Cost of Living, Manhattan Theatre Club
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Jocelyn Bioh, In the Blood, Signature Theatre
Jamie Brewer, Amy and the Orphans, Roundabout Underground
Barbara Marten, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Deirdre O'Connell, Fulfillment Center, Manhattan Theatre Club
Constance Shulman, Bobbie Clearly, Roundabout Underground
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Damon Daunno, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova
Alexander Gemignani, Carousel
Grey Henson, Mean Girls
Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants
Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Lindsay Mendez, Carousel
Kenita R. Miller, Once on This Island
Ashley Park, Mean Girls
Diana Rigg, My Fair Lady
Kate Rockwell, Mean Girls
Outstanding Director of a Play
Marianne Elliott, Angels in America
Jeremy Herrin, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Joe Mantello, Three Tall Women
Lila Neugebauer, Miles for Mary, Playwrights Horizons
Simon Stone, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
Teddy Bergman, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Jack O'Brien, Carousel
Tina Landau, SpongeBob SquarePants
Bartlett Sher, My Fair Lady
The LaDuca Award for Outstanding Choreography
Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island
Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants
Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls
Justin Peck, Carousel
Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air, Abingdon Theatre Company
Outstanding Music
The Bengsons, The Lucky Ones, Ars Nova/Piece by Piece Productions/Z Space      
Ben Caplan, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
David Friedman, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Outstanding Lyrics
Nell Benjamin, Mean Girls
Quiara Alegría Hudes/Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theatre
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, The York Theatre Company
Helen Park, Max Vernon, KPOP, Ars Nova/Ma-Yi Theater Company/Woodshed Collective
Outstanding Book of a Musical
Tina Fey, Mean Girls
Kyle Jarrow, SpongeBob Squarepants
Peter Kellogg, Desperate Measures, York Theatre Company
Hannah Moscovitch, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre/59E59
Outstanding Orchestrations
Tom Kitt, SpongeBob SquarePants
Annmarie Milazzo and Michael Starobin (John Bertles and Bash the Trash, found instrument design) Once on This Island
Charlie Rosen, Erin McKeown, Miss You Like Hell, Public Theater
Jonathan Tunick, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company
Jonathan Tunick, Carousel
Outstanding Music in a Play
Imogen Heap, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Justin Hicks, Mlima's Tale, Public Theatre
Amatus Karim-Ali, The Homecoming Queen, Atlantic Theater Company
Justin Levine, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Public Theater
Adrian Sutton, Angels in America

The Hudson Scenic Studio Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, Three Tall Women
Bunny Christie, People, Places & Things, St. Ann's Warehouse/National Theatre/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Lizzie Clachan, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
Maruti Evans, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Louisa Thompson, In the Blood, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2b Theatre Company/59E59
Beowulf Boritt, Prince of Broadway, Manhattan Theatre Club
Dane Laffrey, Once on This Island
Santo Loquasto, Carousel
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants
Outstanding Costume Design for a Play
Dede M. Ayite, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Jonathan Fensom, Farinelli and the King
Katrina Lindsay, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Ann Roth, Three Tall Women
Emilio Sosa, Venus, Signature Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Mean Girls
Clint Ramos, Once on This Island
David Zinn, SpongeBob SquarePants
Catherine Zuber, My Fair Lady, Lincoln Center Theater
Dede M. Ayite, Bella: An American Tall Tale, Playwrights Horizons
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play
Neil Austin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Natasha Chivers, 1984
Alan C. Edwards, Kill Move Paradise, National Black Theatre
Paul Gallo, Three Tall Women
Paul Russell, Farinelli and the King
Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical
Louisa Adamson, Christian Barry, Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, 2B Theatre Company/59E59
Amith ChandrashakerThe Lucky Ones
Jules Fisher, Peggy Eisenhauer, Once on This Island
Brian MacDevitt, Carousel
Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Woodshed Collective

Outstanding Projection Design
David Bengali, Van Gogh's Ear, Ensemble for the Romantic Century
Andrezj Goulding, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Peter Nigrini, SpongeBob SquarePants
Finn Ross and Adam Young, Mean Girls
Finn Ross and Ash J. Woodward, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Brendan Aanes, Balls, One Year Lease Theater Company/Stages Repertory Theatre/59E59
Gareth Fry, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Tom Gibbons, 1984
Tom Gibbons, People, Places & Things, National Theatre/St. Ann's Warehouse/Bryan Singer Productions/Headlong
Stefan Gregory, Yerma, Young Vic/Park Avenue Armory
Palmer Hefferan, Today is My Birthday, Page 73 Productions
Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical
Kai Harada, The Band's Visit
Scott Lehrer, Carousel
Will Pickens, KPOP, Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Woodshed Collective
Dan Moses Schreier, Pacific Overtures, Classic Stage Company
Outstanding Wig and Hair
Carole Hancock, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Campbell Young Associates, Farinelli and the King
Cookie Jordan, School Girls;, or The African Mean Girls Play, MCC Theater
Charles G. LaPointe, SpongeBob SquarePants
Josh Marquette, Mean Girls
Outstanding Solo Performance
Billy Crudup, Harry Clarke, Vineyard Theatre
David Greenspan, Strange Interlude, Transport Group
Jon Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder
Lesli Margherita, Who's Holiday!
Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Theatre, Cardiff/59E59
The Chase Award for Unique Theatrical Experience
Derren Brown: Secret, Atlantic Theater Company
Master, Foundry Theatre
Say Something Bunny!
Outstanding Fight Choreography
J. David Brimmer, Is God Is, Soho Rep
Steve Rankin, Carousel
Unkle Dave's Fight House, Oedipus El Rey, The Public Theater/The Sol Project
Outstanding Puppet Design
Finn Caldwell, Nick Barnes, Angels in America
Michael Curry, Frozen
Charlie Kanev, Sarah Nolan, and Jonathan Levin, A Hunger Artist, The Tank/Flint & Tinder
Vandy Wood, The Artificial Jungle, Theatre Breaking Through Barriers
SPECIAL AWARDS
To Sean Carvajal and Edi Gathegi of Jesus Hopped the A Train ­­whose last-minute entrances into the Signature production of this powerful play ensured it had a happy real-life ending
Ensemble Award: To Nabiyah Be, MaameYaa Boafo, Paige Gilbert, Zainab Jah, Nike Kadri, Abena Mensah-Bonsu, Mirirai Sithole, and Myra Lucretia Taylor of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, whose characters learn the facts of life but whose portrayers taught us all a thing or two about the way things are.
Sam Norkin Award: To Juan Castano, whose varied performances this season in Oedipus El ReyA Parallelogram, and Transfers not only make a complex statement about American life but also indicate great things to come for this talented performer.
Totals:
Carousel -- 12
SpongeBob SquarePants -- 11
Mean Girls -- 10
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child -- 8
Angels in America -- 7
KPOP -- 7
Once on This Island -- 7
People, Places & Things -- 7
Three Tall Women -- 7
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story -- 6
Miss You Like Hell -- 5
My Fair Lady -- 5
Desperate Measures - 4
Yerma -- 4
Farinelli and the King -- 3
In the Blood -- 3
The Lucky Ones - 3
Pacific Overtures -- 3
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play -- 3
1984 -- 2
Admissions -- 2
Frozen -- 2
A Hunger Artist -- 2
Kill Move Paradise -- 2
Mary Jane -- 2
Miles for Mary - 2
Prince of Broadway -- 2

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Broadway's Darius De Haas Is Giving Leonard Bernstein's Music A New Shade

 Darius De Haas and Me at Feinstein's 54 Below
I love when artists get chances to flex their creative and vocal muscles to explore some of the legendary composers with different musical flavors and seasonings.  In honor of the centennial of Leonard Bernstein's birth, many people have planned tributes to this musical legend.  Darius De Haas, described by The New York Times as “electrically thrilling,” by Variety as “a performer who can reveal the sorrows, pains and joys of the composer’s richly layered repertoire with an intensity and honesty that easily envelops and mesmerizes the listener,” and by the Jazz Times as “blessed with a gorgeous voice and a keen theatrical sophistication,” brings his brand new concert and vocal magic to Feinstein’s/54 Below, April 26th and 27th. 

He sits with me and chats about not only his upcoming show, A Leonard Bernstein Thing  but he also indulges me in a conversation about a revival show that is a lost gem, like its original, SHUFFLE ALONG.  Take a minute and enjoy my conversation with and fun performance by Daris De Haas by clicking HERE or on the pic above.  Click HERE For tickets and information about his upcoming performance at Feinstein's 54 Below.


Here's a taste of what he is serving, courtesy of BFV Marketing and Keith Sherman & Assoc.    

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Friday, April 20, 2018

Stephanie Courtney aka Sayonne is a Wonderful New Discovery To Me

I am so fortunate that I live, work, and cover theater in a town like New York.  It never fails to surprise me at how much talent is brimming over in New York.  When I meet young actresses like Stephanie Courtney aka Sayonne, I am very excited to talk to them, because they are really embarking on a wonderful journey that has some great highs and great lows.  Many times, I feel like the proud and fun fairy godfather to so many of these performers. 

It turns out that Ms. Sayonne and I are both First Generation Americans, and even with our age difference, there are a many similarities in our upbringing.  I loved that her father and brother travel with her and protect her as best they can, and because of that foundation, she has managed to work as an actress and maintain a relatively unscathed path towards achieving her dreams and goals.  She also has a great manager that is truly helping to groom this talented young lady. 

She is also using her passion and energy as a musical artist to explore her more popular sensibilities.  As much as I LOVE talking to the many famous and established artists, it does my heart good to know that this young woman working in theater has a grasp of who these great artists like, Chita Rivera, Lillias White, Betty Buckley, Heather Headley, Montego Glover, and Rema Webb are, and holds their legendary work in high regards.  How could you not be a proud, theater loving, fairy godfather?  Please click HERE enjoy my conversation with this wonderful young woman.

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Thursday, April 12, 2018

Playwright Phillip Dawkins' THE GENTLEMAN CALLER makes NYC Debut AFTER and During the Run of Its World Premiere in Chicago.



Philip Dawkins
Any actor worth their salt will tell you that every great play begins with the words on the page.  Because of the worlds that playwrights (and Librettists) create, many people, even more than actors,  have jobs inside and outside of the theater.  So any chance to talk to a young playwright as delightful and talented as Chicago-based playwright, Philip Dawkins, I will take.  His current opus, The Gentleman Caller is currently in rehearsals to make its New York debut at Cherry Lane Theater, as it coincides with its simultaneous World Premiere production, still running at Chicago's The Raven Theater, through May 27, 2018.

I had never met a playwright who has a single property that will be running simultaneously in 2 major theater cities.  It might be a first.  I will have to check, but on the great white way, only Neil Simon in 1966 is the only living playwright that had four shows playing in Broadway theaters at the same time: Sweet Charity, The Star-Spangled Girl, The Odd Couple and Barefoot in the Park.

The Gentleman Caller also takes a non traditional casting route to tell the story of 2 famous playwrights, Tennessee Williams and William Inge, at a very different time in their careers.  In the Chicago production:  Rudy Galvan as Tennessee Williams
and Curtis Edward Jackson as William Inge, and for the NY production, Daniel K. Isaac and Juan Francisco Villa in the same roles respectively.  This is a great time to be Philip Dawkins.  Please click HERE and enjoy my conversation with him.  

For tickets and more information about The Gentleman Caller:

CHICAGO: https://www.raventheatre.com/stage/the-gentleman-caller/
NYC: http://abingdontheatre.org/gentleman-caller/

Chicago: Rudy Galvan and Curtis Edward Jackson



Daniel K. Isaacs and Juan Francisco Villa
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Monday, April 2, 2018

EXTREME THEATER, BABY!!!!

If you happen to follow my Instagram page, you will notice that from time to time, I get the privilege of getting to see shows and the opportunity to share my thoughts and recommendations.  I have considered myself primarily an Ambassador to Theater.  I want people to see as much live performance as they can, and quite frankly in as many disciplines of performance as they can.

I know that as an Ambassador to Theater, and with such a wide gap between content, presentation, and tone, I would never dare tell anyone what they "should" see.  In any case, when I am asked about a recommendation of what to see, I think about how much it costs to see a show.  I ask about what someone's interests are: comedy vs. drama, or musical vs. play.   I love to give everything a fair shot, mostly because I get to see more than the average theater goer.  I recognize that most people are not that fortunate, therefore they must make more informed choices with their theater dollars. 

Last week, I had the chance to see 2 wildly different shows.  The impact of one show left me exhilarated and exhausted as it took me on the epic and emotional, theatrical roller coaster ride that is the The National Theatre's revival of Tony Kushner's masterpiece, Angels in America, starring Nathan Lane, Andrew Garfield, Lee Pace,  Susan Brown, Denise Gough, James McArdle, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Amanda Lawrence. 


Although the show has gone on to become a multiple Emmy Award Winning HBO miniseries, there is still something special that being in the theater when all of that art, intensity of story,  and stage magic combine and create something so unique.  Now this is not the type of presentation that is for everyone, but for the patient, brilliant acting, serious subject matter fans, you better hurry to the Neil Simon Theater for what is probably one of the most epic things that I have witnessed in a few seasons.  You have 2 ways to witness both parts (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika), either on 2 different nights, or in an epic Matinee + Evening Show Combination.  That was the combination that I chose.  It is the height of audience and artist sharing and being there for each other.  I know this will sound ridiculous, but it was like I clocked in at 1pm with those actors and literally spent the day at work with them until we ALL clocked at almost 11pm.  It was like "take your theater geek to work" Day, and for the record,  those folks WERKED!!!!  So if this speaks to you on any level, then go to https://angelsbroadway.com/ for more information about the cast and how to get tickets for this limited run event. 

The impact of the other show left me in the mood not only for a fruity cocktail and a beach vacation, but a strong sense of needing to relax and just get over myself.  Escape to Margaritaville is that show.

It features some of Broadway's phenomenal talent: Paul Anthony Nolan (BRIGHT STAR, ONCE)  , Lisa Howard (25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, IT SHOULD'VE BEEN YOU) , Rema Webb (THE COLOR PURPLE, THE LION KING, BOOK OF MORMON, A NEW BRAIN),  Alison Luff (LES MISERABLES, SCANDALOUS, MAMA MIA) Eric Petersen ( SCHOOL OF ROCK, PETER AND THE STAR CATCHER).  This cast takes the music and lyrics of Jimmy Buffet, the book written by Mike O'Malley and Greg Garcia, Kelly Devine's choreography and Tony Award Winning Christopher Ashley's direction ( COME FROM AWAY), and just have fun.  That's it.

I have to admit that when I heard that this show was coming to Broadway, I said the thing that EVERY person who has a little theater snobbery within them said, "Jimmy Buffet on Broadway? Really?" But as I sat in the Marriott Marquis Theater,  I learned something.  This show is the perfect antidote to what has been an insane real world.  Yes, the story may not be the most daring ever told.  The music may cause your neighbor to sing along before the cast says it's okay to sing along with them.  To be honest, any musical that gives me a tap number, no matter how odd the placement, still gives me a little tingle, if not insane bursts of joy, because when I think of Jimmy Buffet music, tap dancing does not quickly come to mind.   However, I had the realization that this show serves an audience that does not need to have their core beliefs challenged.  They just want to be entertained.    Anyone who says otherwise without seeing the show first, is working too hard to be a contrarian.  Go out and see a show.

Go to http://escapetomargaritavillemusical.com/ for more information and tickets.

SUBSCRIBE FREE to KEITH PRICE'S CURTAIN CALL on Itunes and Google Play Music,  YOU TUBE and leave a review.  Click the image below to Support Keith Price's Curtain Call Podcast.  Also visit me on Broadway World's Featured Podcast Page.